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Two industry bodies representing chemists and medical device makers have asked the Centre to vaccinate their staff members against Covid-19 on priority, saying they worked through the epidemic despite facing an enhanced risk of infection.
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists and the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry said on Thursday that their appeals to the Centre to include their staff members into priority populations such as frontline workers have remained unheeded.
The AIOCD has demanded priority vaccination for an estimated 940,000 employees and workers in thousands of retail chemist and distribution outlets across the country, while AIMED estimates about 20,000 surgical and medical device dealers and staff.
: Saturday, May 15, 2021, 2:30 AM IST
We need a new formula needed to keep our âformulationsâ market dominance, writes Bharat Jhunjhunwala
The Modi government must stand up to western pressure, to protect our economic and health sovereignty
Multinational companies (MNCs) had two-thirds of the domestic drug market of India in 1970. Then, the government had nullified âproduct patentsâ. The government allowed Indian companies to manufacture drugs patented by MNCs by alternative processes. This resulted in a fast increase in domestic drug manufacturing and not only Indian, but the world drug market was dominated by Indian companies. The dominance of Indian companies in the drug market, known as âformulationsâ, is maintained as of date.
Oxygen concentrator dealers allege harassment by Delhi Police, seek home ministry’s intervention
Oxygen concentrator dealers allege harassment by Delhi Police, seek home ministry’s intervention
The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) on Monday wrote a letter to the home ministry, alleging harassment of legal oxygen concentrator dealers by the Delhi Police.
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UPDATED: May 10, 2021 23:45 IST
AIMED has sought the home ministry s intervention over alleged harassment of oxygen concentrator dealers by the Delhi police. (Photo: PTI)
In the backdrop of a massive oxygen concentrator racket being busted in Delhi, the Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) has sought intervention from the Union Home Ministry over alleged harassment of legal oxygen concentrator dealers by the police.
Synopsis
The government is also contemplating exemption of customs duties on the components used for manufacturing the equipment and help in sourcing them so that several domestic companies can start production of these devices immediately.
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The government has reached out to multiple Indian companies and startups, offering licences and transfer of technologies to make Covid care equipment such as oxygen concentrators, non-invasive ventilators, and make-shift hospitals on a war footing to improve their availability amid the pandemic.
These technologies are developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
The government is also contemplating exemption of customs duties on the components used for manufacturing the equipment and help in sourcing them so that several domestic companies can start production of these devices immediately.